CLINTON, Md. — Following accusations of student abuse aboard school buses, Prince George’s County public school leaders say they’re working to make the web of security cameras bigger and better.
“About 93 percent of our buses are equipped with cameras,” said Lori Carter-Evans, the school system’s director of transportation and fleet services, at a meeting for parents Thursday.
“As new technology becomes available and we replace our buses, then we purchase the new technology so we get better video systems in our buses,” Carter-Evans said.
In the past, the video would only be checked if an incident was reported or if someone requested it, but Carter-Evans said that’s changed.
“We are now working with our Office of Special Education … and we’re pulling them randomly,” Carter-Evans said.
Carter-Evans said that in addition to the cameras, the school district has a team of trainers who appear unannounced at schools and get on board buses to check them.
She said the trainers also ride school buses to make sure employees on board are doing what they should.
Video from cameras in school buses and buildings is typically stored for 30 days, but the school system’s director of security, Rex Barrett, said the video is stored for 90 days in about 75 schools.
“That’s the future, to add those enhanced technologies in to give us more data storage,” Barrett said.
Barrett also spoke at Thursday’s meeting, which was held at James Ryder Randall Elementary School in Clinton.
Police, Child Protective Services and school administrators are investigating accusations that a bus aide for that school molested a 4-year-old special needs student.
